Abstract

Superfluorescent stimulated emission at 656 nm has been observed from the Balmer-α (3D → 2P) transition in atomic hydrogen. Laser photolysis of H₂S at 205 nm is used to produce a high density of ground state atomic hydrogen. When the photolysis wavelength is tuned to the H(1S → 3D) two- photon resonance, a population inversion is simultaneously created on the 3D → 2P transition at 656 nm. This technique provides high inversion densities in atomic hydrogen, yielding a useful spectroscopic tool with potential applications to plasma diagnostics and remote sensing.

© 1990 Optical Society of America